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Episode 7: A Conversation with Heather Jarvis of Equal Justice Works
Posted by Meredith R Miller at 8/19/2008 
Categories: Law School, Legislation, Career Decisions, public interest work
Categories: Law School, Legislation, Career Decisions, public interest work
This podcast features a conversation with Heather Jarvis, Senior Program Manager for Law School Advocacy at Equal Justice Works. Heather is a national expert on educational debt and financial barriers facing law school graduates. Student debt isn't quite a fun topic, but it is an important one. In the coming weeks, many students will begin their legal education, taking on a burdensome pile of debt and the attendant anxiety about paying it back. Thanks to Heather's efforts, law students and graduates can be a little less anxious.
Heather has been a tireless advocate for the new federal loan forgiveness law, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act ("CCRAA"), which was signed into law in September 2007. She is fluent in this complex rubric, and the interview is overflowing with indispensable information for anyone with student loan debt, anyone about to incur student loan debt, and anyone advising or mentoring someone with student loan debt.
Because income based repayment is not limited to public service work, it is worth listening even if you are in the private sector. And, it is especially important to listen if you work in public service, which is broadly defined by the statute. If you follow all of the rules outlined, you could be eligible for loan forgiveness in 10 years.Our conversation focuses on navigating the complicated waters of the CCRAA. Topics include: eligibility for income based repayment, the statute's definition of "financial hardship," eligibility for loan forgiveness, what constitutes "public service work" under the CCRAA, career public interest work and ramen noodles. Here's a link that contains more information about the CCRAA and the worksheets and calculators mentioned in the podcast.
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Download | Duration: 00:26:48
This is a great podcast - very informative. Thanks for taking the time to put this together, Meredith! There is information on the new Equal Justice Works blog about the Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008 was signed into law on August 14, 2008. It is separate from the CCRAA and it establishes four new loan forgiveness and repayment programs that benefit public interest lawyers.
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